Hide and Seek
by JeknaLokert
Summary: Shadow and Maria play all the time on the ARK. But...what happens when Shadow learns a new emotion and tries to explain it to Maria? This story will contain some Furry... but mostly at the end :D Shadaria One-Shot


**Hide and Seek**

**One-shot**

**Shadaria**

_Scene 1:_

One normal day on the moon sized space center, known as the space colony ARK. The scientists were in their labs working on different experiments. Their leader, Dr. Gerald Robotnik, watches his scientist's work all day into hoping they will ever get close to Maria's cure. Maria Robotnik is Gerald's granddaughter. The thing about Maria is that she is kind and sweet. Always says "hi" and gives everyone a smile; but behind all that kind heart was a disease; eating her up slowly. Gerald has discovered that his sweet granddaughter has developed NIDS, which stands for Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. NIDS is similar to our AIDS; incurable and fatal. Gerald would do anything to save his granddaughter, that's why he made Project: Shadow. The hedgehog stood beside the Professor, watching the scientists as well. This hedgehog was, in fact, supposedly Project: Shadow. But after Maria has seen this hedgehog, she mostly called him "Shadow". After a while, everyone started calling him "Shadow" and he ran with it. Shadow was well known of Maria's disease, and he knew he was the key to her cure. So, he became her friend. Which was a quick friendship indeed; Gerald himself couldn't believe how fast Maria and Shadow became friends. Anyway, Gerald and Shadow stood on the balcony of their lab, watching scientists brainstorm and progress everything like a computer to files.

"How close are we to finding Maria's cure, Professor?" Shadow asks looking up at his creator.

"Very close Shadow, I just know it. We will have Maria's cure done soon enough."

"Then will she be able to go onto Earth again..?" Shadow asks with curiosity. Gerald sighs.

"If that is what she wishes, I'll let her on that planet." Shadow smirks and turns his gaze to Maria, who is observing the scientist mix chemicals together to make new ones.

"Are you sure she should be close to the scientist's work like that?"

"As long as she doesn't touch anything, she is fine." Gerald pays attention to the nine year old Maria Robotnik. So many years has passed, she hasn't changed a bit; well, not on the outside anyway. Maria notices the two looking at her and she waves at them. Gerald simply nods and waves back to her. Shadow smirks and waves his hand slightly back.

"Shadow…"

"Yes Professor?"

"Do you have 'feelings' for my Maria?" Shadow's eyes widen and he looks at the doctor.

"I don't know what you mean Professor."

"You know what I mean Shadow. You've been closer to Maria than anyone on this ARK. And you spend more time with her than in my lab." Shadow looks away from him and feels his cheeks warming up a bit.

"It's…only because she asks for me to spend time with her."

"Really…" Gerald looks back at Maria. "Do you ever think of 'love' Shadow?"

"Huh…?" Shadow looks at the professor, now with his head cocked a bit.

"Well, I'll tell you all about it while I'm taking more blood samples."

"Again, Professor?" Shadow says with irritation.

"Don't complain, now into the lab." Shadow grunts and goes into the Professor's lab, with Gerald following him and closing the door.

_Scene 2:_

Shadow stands alone, staring out the big window, seeing the green and blue planet from space. He rubs his arms from the injections that took his blood. He sighs and his mind ponders on what the Professor has told him. This new word, "Love", he didn't really think about it, until now. True, he had emotional feelings for Maria, but he never "Loved" her. Maybe he should ask Maria if she has ever heard of this word. She might feel the same way he does.

"Hi Shadow!" Shadow turns his head to see the sweet girl in a blue dress heading towards him.

"Hello Maria." Maria stands beside Shadow and joins him in watching the planet. Maria was tall for her age. Shadow only reached to her shoulders.

"Shadow I'm bored. You wanna play a game with me?" It's regular to know that Maria sometimes gets bored on the ARK. Especially when you're a nine year old; you always got to play. Shadow and Maria have played many games on the ARK. But they tried to stay away from the laboratories and restricted areas. They were especially not allowed to go into the under part of the ARK, they didn't know why, but they listened.

"Ok, what kind of game?" Shadow asks.

"hmm" Maria puts her finger to her chin and taps. Then she smiles and looks at Shadow. "Hide and Seek! Let's play Hide and Seek, Shadow!" Shadow smirks and shakes his head.

"Hide and Seek? In a big space station like this?"

"Please!"

"It would be hard to find one another…"

"Pleeeaaassse!" Maria clamps her hands together and puts the against her chest; completely begging. Shadow shakes his head again and sighs.

"Ok, I'll play." Maria jumps for joy and hugs Shadow. Shadow stands still and blushes. Maria lets go.

"You're it then. You have to try and find me!" Maria runs out of the room, leaving Shadow alone. Shadow grumbles and starts counting to twenty.

"1…2…3…4…5…6…"

_Scene 3:_

"17…16…18…19…20! Ready or not, here I come." Shadow leaves the room Maria has left him in. He goes left, speeding down the hallway; looking for his eccentric friend.

"Hmm" Maria looks around the storage area of the ARK. She knew this would be a perfect place to hide. Maria hasn't been in the storage room in a while, not since she was asked to grab an empty box of test tubes for the scientists. While she was down there, she noticed a closet, full of treasures. Well, treasures to her, since they all came from Earth. She picked that spot in particular, since she knew Shadow wouldn't be able to find her so quickly. So, she knew this would be a good time to check out the knick-knacks and toys the people on Earth played with. One more turn and there it was. The closet marked "Earth", Maria walked to the closet and tried to open it. It was locked. '_Oh poop_' Maria thinks as she notices the card panel on the side of the door. She didn't have time to look for a card key, so she tried to find a wrench to open the door. Luckily, she found a wrench in a tool box in a crate. She pushed the wrench into the crack of the door and tugged. Very slowly, the door opened. Once it was wide enough, Maria put her hand against the side of the door and pulled forward, making it open wider. Once she was sure she could fit inside the crack open of the door, she slipped inside and let go of the door; making it slam. It almost caught her hands and squished them. She sighed a relief and looked at the un-open boxes and thrown away toys and books. Her eyes literally began to shine in this dark room; only lighten be the lights from outside. Maria didn't know where to look; until she noticed a book on the shelf beside her. She reached out and grabbed the thin book. It read "Cinderella". Maria sat down on a crate and held the book near the light and started reading. She was interested to what this book meant.

_Scene 4:_

Shadow zoomed passed all the possible places Maria might be. He looked in her room, in his room, in the Professor's lab, in the main deck; nowhere, she was really hidden somewhere. He looked all around the middle and upper part of the ARK…now; it was time to check the mid-section. Shadow has been looking for Maria for almost an hour now. He wondered if she got hurt, or got caught, or… might have gotten into the basement. No, she wasn't allowed to go down there; even Shadow knew Maria would never break her grandfather's trust. He decided to look into the storage area. Sure enough, he knew she was there. The boxes and crates were all moved and open. Shadow recently saw this area earlier and these boxes weren't open when he was here earlier. The one thing that caught his eye was that there was a bent wrench on the ground. He picked it up and examined it. '_Bent…? Wenches don't usually bend that easy unless you have enough force to; or, using a big, strong… clamp._' Shadow looked up and saw the closet marked "Earth". That's when Shadow mentally kicked himself in the butt.

"Of course, where else would Maria's desires be held other than being on the ARK with me and the Professor? It would belong in the 'junk' or 'treasures' of Earth." Shadow whispered to himself. He ducked down low and went under the window of the closet door. He slowly raised his head and peered inside the dark room. He noticed something right away; something blue and blond. Yep, it was Maria. Shadow smirked and tapped the class of the closet window. Maria jumped in her spot and looked up from her book to see the black hedgehog looking at her. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. Shadow reached into his pouch he carried around usually and took out his own card key. He slid it through the door lock and the closet swooshed open; revealing the girl in blue.

"Oh, I guess you found me." Maria says a bit disappointed. Shadow raised his eyebrow.

"What's wrong Maria?" Shadow asks standing beside her.

"I was in the middle of reading this book. I wanted to finish it before you found me." Shadow then realized something.

"Wait… you only wanted to play Hide and Seek so you could come into this closet, right?" Maria looked up at her friend and nodded slightly. Shadow smirks.

"I'm sorry Shadow. I just wanted to see the amazing treasures the people on Earth use every day."

"It's ok. I'll let you finish reading." Maria face lightens up and she looks at Shadow with a smile so brilliant, he blushed at its sight. Maria returned her gaze back to her book and continued to read softly to herself. Shadow sat at the crate across form hers and watched he read. Maria knew Shadow was watching her, but she didn't mind, she knew he always watched her; she got used to it. After a few minutes later, Maria closes her book and looks at Shadow.

"That was a marvelous book. I hope to find MY true love too." Shadow's eyes widen. '_Did she just say… "Love" _'

"Was it a good book?"

"Oh, yes it was! It was about a girl who is bullied by her step mother and step sisters, until she meets a Fairy God Mother and she meets a Prince and they get married, and they live Happily Ever After…" Maria sighs. "I want to have a Happily Ever After…" Shadow looks at his sad friend, knowing she won't have a happy ending. Either the Professor makes the cure, or she dies sooner than she becomes a teenager.

"You will Maria, you just have to wait for the right moment, and the right…prince, suitable for you." Shadow decides to lie to her, maybe that will make her feel better. Sure enough, it does. Maria smiles and loses her sorrow of having that kind of ending to her life.

"Should we get going back now?" Maria suggests. Shadow nods and stands up from his crate. But as soon as he does, the closet door closes immediately and locks them both in. Shadow is the first to act and bangs on the door, yelling, hoping that a scientist is near-by. Shadow notices the screen on the far wall. It says "EMERGENCY LOCK DOWN! THIS IS A DRILL! I REPEAT, THIS IS A DRILL! ALL DOORS AND ROOMS WILL BE IN LOCK DOWN FOR THE NEXT TWENTY MINUTES!" Shadow grunts and sits back down on his crate, being a bit irritated.

"Are we stuck in here Shadow?" Maria asks. Shadow nods.

"Yep, for the next twenty minutes." Maria starts frowning again.

"I shouldn't have convinced you to let me finish my book. Then we wouldn't be trapped in this closet." Shadow reaches and places his hand on her shoulder.

"It's not your fault Maria, I was distracted. I should have seen this earlier. So, it's my fault." Maria shakes her head and grabs Shadow hand.

"No, don't take my blame. It was my fault." Shadow sighs and looks away from her. She and Shadow sat in the closet in silence.

_Scene 5:_

"Shadow…" After fifteen minutes of silence and Maria fiddling with some of the trinkets around her, she breaks the silence. Shadow loses his attention from a doll and looks at Maria.

"Yes?"

"What does 'Love' mean?" Shadow eyes widen and he sits up. He starts blushing and rubs the back of his neck.

"Well…uh…" Maria looks at Shadow intensely, waiting for him to answer her question. Shadow crosses his arms and stands up from his crate. "The Professor told me that 'Love' means that when two people, or creatures, have more feelings for each other, they express those feelings by staying near each other and…" Shadow trailed off and Maria stood up in her spot, waiting for Shadow to finish his sentence. "and…they…kiss." Shadow blushes redder, and Maria blushes as well. Her eyes widen and she asks…

"Kiss? Like…on the lips?" Shadow closes his eyes and turns to look away from Maria before he nods. Maria blushes the same red as Shadow and she gets a bit nervous. She finally relaxes a bit and looks at Shadow.

"You know Maria… once you're cured, you'll be able to go onto Earth. Then you could look for the boy you like. This boy will make you happy and feel special. Just let me tell you…" Shadow turns back to Maria and looks at her directly into her blue eyes. "I will always support you, no matter who you chose." Shadow raises his fist and looks at it. "And I will still protect you if he ever touches you." Maria's gaze widens and she can't believe he actually said that to her. Then, Maria realizes something, so it's her turn to talk. She stands up from her crate and walks over to Shadow. Shadow looks up from his fist and watches Maria walk to him. She stops in front of him and goes on her knees. Her blue eyes look into Shadow's crimson ones; their faces only a meter apart.

"And I, Shadow the Hedgehog, will support and protect you. I don't care who you pick in your life. But…I only want one thing. I want you to pick a nice and sweet girl. You have to love her back, as she would as well for you. I'll help you look. I'll always help you Shadow." Maria raises her hand and places it on Shadow's cheek. Shadow blushes red again, as does Maria. "But for now…before we go to Earth. I want us to be friends, because…" Shadow doesn't know what to say or to do. He just lets her hand touch his cheek. He eventually raises his own hand and places it on hers. "I…love you…Shadow the Hedgehog." Maria leans her face closer Shadow's as he closes his eyes. He heard every word she has said, every thought he have never thought before that expressed real feelings for Maria have come out. And he only had one way to express those feelings. Shadow closes the gap between the two and kisses his friend, no, his love passionately. He wanted to show her how much he "loved" her. Maria wanted to as well, and she kisses Shadow the same way he has with her. Their lips part and they both look each other in the eyes. Maria smiles and it melts Shadow's heart. They kiss, one more time, until the closet doors swing open, revealing freedom for the two to walk out and keep their secret from the rest of the world. The two walk down the hallway, hand-in-hand, not knowing that the real danger is just around the corner.

**AUTHOR: :3 Shadaria everyone. I know, it's not very good... but i just had an idea and i wrote it :D I hope you liked it...**


End file.
